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New
Zealand is a country of rare seismic beauty: glacial mountains,
fast-flowing rivers, deep, clear lakes, hissing geysers and
boiling mud. There are also abundant forest reserves, long,
deserted beaches and a variety of fauna, such as the kiwi,
endemic to its shores. Any number of vigorous outdoor activities
- hiking, skiing, rafting and, of course, that perennial favourite,
bungy jumping - await the adventurous. You can swim with dolphins,
gambol with newborn lambs, whalewatch or fish for fattened
trout in the many streams. The people, bound in a culture
that melds European with Maori ancestry, are resourceful,
helpful and overwhelmingly friendly. The extraordinary place
names - try Te Awamutu, Whangamomona or Paekakariki for tongue-trippers
- are resonant and, with a modicum of practice, easy to pronounce.
Because
it's such a compact place, travel within New Zealand - whether
by plane, bus, rail, car or campervan - is affordable and
efficient. Accommodation too is cheap and varied. And the
culinary promise of venison, fresh seafood, sublime ice cream
and award-winning wines should more than whet the appetite.
Full
country name: New Zealand
Area: 269,000 sq km
Population: 3.8 million
Capital city: Wellington (pop 345,000 )
People: 88% European (Pakeha), 12% Maori and Polynesian
Languages: English and Maori
Religion: Predominantly Christian (81%)
Government: Independent member of the British Commonwealth
Prime Minister: Helen Clark
GDP:
US$85 billion
GDP per head: US$22,360
Annual growth: 2%
Inflation: 2%
Major industries: Food processing, wood and paper products,
wool, textiles, dairy products, iron and steel, machinery,
tourism
Major trading partners: Australia, Japan, UK, China and the
USA
New
Zealand Flight from UK
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